“Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-intoxicating cannabinoid, may be a promising novel smoking cessation treatment due to its anxiolytic properties, minimal side-effects and research showing it may modify drug cue salience. We used an experimental medicine approach with dependent cigarette smokers to investigate if (1) overnight nicotine abstinence, compared with satiety, will produce greater attentional bias (AB), higher pleasantness ratings of cigarette-related stimuli and increased craving and withdrawal; (2) CBD in comparison to placebo, would attenuate AB, pleasantness of cigarette-related stimuli, craving and withdrawal and not produce any side-effects.
Category Archives: News Stories
Relation of Cannabis Use and Atrial Fibrillation Among Patients Hospitalized for Heart Failure.
“Left ventricular dysfunction triggers the activation of the sympathetic nervous system, providing inotropic support to the failing heart and concomitantly increasing the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF). The cardiovascular effects of cannabis have been characterized as biphasic on the autonomic nervous system with an increased sympathetic effect at low doses and an inhibitory sympathetic activity at higher doses. It is unknown if the autonomic effect of cannabis impacts the occurrence of AF in patients with heart failure (HF).
We used data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-National Inpatient Sample for patients admitted with a diagnosis of HF in 2014. The outcome variable was the diagnosis of AF, with the main exposure being cannabis use. We identified a cannabis user group and a 1:1 propensity-matched non-cannabis user group, each having 3,548 patients. We then estimated the odds of AF diagnosis in cannabis users. An estimated 3,950,392 patients were admitted with a diagnosis of HF in the United States in 2014. Among these, there were 17,755 (0.45%) cannabis users. In the matched cohort, cannabis users were less likely to have AF (19.08% vs 21.39%; AOR 0.87 [0.77 to 0.98]).
In conclusion, cannabis users have lower odds of AF when compared with nonusers, which was not explained by co-morbid conditions, age, insurance type, and socioeconomic status.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29685570
“Surprising Find: Marijuana Linked with Benefits for Heart Failure Patients. Heart failure patients who used marijuana were also less likely to die in the hospital than those who didn’t use the drug, the study found.” https://www.livescience.com/60988-marijuana-heart-failure.html
Hemp shows potential for treating ovarian cancer
“Researchers demonstrate hemp’s ability to slow cancer growth and uncover mechanism for its cancer-fighting ability.
Results from some of the first studies to examine hemp’s ability to fight cancer show that it might one day be useful as plant-based treatment for ovarian cancer. Hemp is part of the same cannabis family as marijuana but doesn’t have any psychoactive properties or cause addiction. “Hemp, like marijuana, contains therapeutically valuable components such as cannabidiol, cannabinol, and tetrahydrocannabinol,” “Our findings from this research as well as prior research show that KY hemp slows ovarian cancer comparable to or even better than the current ovarian cancer drug Cisplatin,” said Turner. “Since Cisplatin exhibits high toxicity, we anticipate that hemp would carry less side effects.” https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180423155046.htm“Hemp Shows Potential for Treating Ovarian Cancer” https://www.eurekalert.org/multimedia/pub/167927.php
“Hemp Can Fight Cancer Too, Reveal Scientists in New Cannabis Study” https://www.inverse.com/article/44039-cancer-hemp-plant-based-treatment
“Studies show hemp’s potential for treating ovarian cancer” https://www.news-medical.net/news/20180424/Studies-show-hemps-potential-for-treating-ovarian-cancer.aspx
“Hemp shows potential for treating ovarian cancer” https://www.europeanpharmaceuticalreview.com/news/75103/hemp-treating-ovarian-cancer/
“Hemp portrays possibility for curing ovarian cancer” https://ebuzzcommunity.com/2018/04/hemp-portrays-possibility-for-curing-ovarian-cancer/
“Hemp Extract Inhibits Growth Of Ovarian Cancer, Research Finds” https://thefreshtoast.com/rx/hemp-extract-inhibits-growth-of-ovarian-cancer-research-finds/
]]>Association of Cannabis With Cognitive Functioning in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
“Question Is frequent or heavy cannabis use associated with cognitive dysfunction in adolescents and young adults? Findings This systematic review and meta-analysis of 69 cross-sectional studies of 2152 cannabis users and 6575 comparison participants showed a small but significant overall effect size for reduced cognitive functioning in adolescents and young adults who reported frequent cannabis use. However, studies requiring abstinence from cannabis for longer than 72 hours had a very small, nonsignificant effect size. Meaning Although continued cannabis use may be associated with small reductions in cognitive functioning, results suggest that cognitive deficits are substantially diminished with abstinence. Conclusions and Relevance Associations between cannabis use and cognitive functioning in cross-sectional studies of adolescents and young adults are small and may be of questionable clinical importance for most individuals. Furthermore, abstinence of longer than 72 hours diminishes cognitive deficits associated with cannabis use. Although other outcomes (eg, psychosis) were not examined in the included studies, results indicate that previous studies of cannabis in youth may have overstated the magnitude and persistence of cognitive deficits associated with use.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29710074 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2678214?redirect=true
“Cannabis harm to teenagers’ brains ‘overstated’, finds study” https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/cannabis-marijuana-legalisation-harm-brain-intelligence-development-mental-health-a8311126.html
“Weed doesn’t make stoners permanently slow – study” http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/health/2018/04/weed-doesn-t-make-stoners-permanently-slow-study.html
“Marijuana’s effects on young brains diminish 72 hours after use, research says” https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/18/health/marijuana-cognitive-effects-study/index.html
]]>Unique treatment potential of cannabidiol for the prevention of relapse to drug use: preclinical proof of principle
“Cannabidiol (CBD), the major non-psychoactive constituent of Cannabis sativa, has received attention for therapeutic potential in treating neurologic and psychiatric disorders.
Recently, CBD has also been explored for potential in treating drug addiction. Substance use disorders are chronically relapsing conditions and relapse risk persists for multiple reasons including craving induced by drug contexts, susceptibility to stress, elevated anxiety, and impaired impulse control. Here, we evaluated the “anti-relapse” potential of a transdermal CBD preparation in animal models of drug seeking, anxiety and impulsivity.
Rats with alcohol or cocaine self-administration histories received transdermal CBD at 24 h intervals for 7 days and were tested for context and stress-induced reinstatement, as well as experimental anxiety on the elevated plus maze. Effects on impulsive behavior were established using a delay-discounting task following recovery from a 7-day dependence-inducing alcohol intoxication regimen.
CBD attenuated context-induced and stress-induced drug seeking without tolerance, sedative effects, or interference with normal motivated behavior. Following treatment termination, reinstatement remained attenuated up to ≈5 months although plasma and brain CBD levels remained detectable only for 3 days. CBD also reduced experimental anxiety and prevented the development of high impulsivity in rats with an alcohol dependence history.
The results provide proof of principle supporting potential of CBD in relapse prevention along two dimensions CBD: beneficial actions across several vulnerability states, and long-lasting effects with only brief treatment. The findings also inform the ongoing medical marijuana debate concerning medical benefits of non-psychoactive cannabinoids and their promise for development and use as therapeutics.”
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41386-018-0050-8
“Non-psychoactive cannabis ingredient could help addicts stay clean. Preclinical study using rats shows that Cannabidiol can reduce the risk of relapse” https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180323104821.htm
“Non-psychoactive cannabis ingredient could reduce risk of relapse among recovering addicts. A preclinical study in rats has shown that there might be value in using a non-psychoactive and non-addictive ingredient of the Cannabis sativa plant to reduce the risk of relapse among recovering drug and alcohol addicts.” https://www.news-medical.net/news/20180323/Non-psychoactive-cannabis-ingredient-could-reduce-risk-of-relapse-among-recovering-addicts.aspx
“Non-psychoactive cannabis ingredient could help addicts stay clean” https://www.springer.com/gp/about-springer/media/research-news/all-english-research-news/non-psychoactive-cannabis-ingredient-could-help-addicts-stay-clean/15548156
“Non-psychoactive cannabinoid may enable drug addiction recovery” https://www.drugabuse.gov/news-events/news-releases/2018/03/non-psychoactive-cannabinoid-may-enable-drug-addiction-recovery
Pascal Biosciences Identifies Molecules in Cannabis That Stimulate the Immune System to Destroy Tumor Cells
“Pascal Biosciences Inc. (TSX.V:PAS) (“Pascal” or the “Company”) announced the Company has discovered certain cannabinoids that enhance the immunogenicity of tumor cells, rendering them more susceptible to recognition by the immune system. This discovery is important because the leading class of new cancer fighting agents, termed “checkpoint inhibitors”, activates the immune system to destroy cancer cells. Enhancing recognition of cancer cells with cannabinoids may greatly improve the efficacy of this drug class. Cannabinoids are the chemical compounds which give the cannabis plant its medicinal properties with over 100 different cannabinoids identified. There is a growing body of research demonstrating the effectiveness of cannabinoids in the treatment of cancer symptoms, including nausea, appetite enhancement, and pain management. However, Pascal is the first to identify a mechanism in which cannabinoids may provide a direct benefit in immunotherapy.” https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2018/02/21/1372706/0/en/Pascal-Biosciences-Identifies-Molecules-in-Cannabis-That-Stimulate-the-Immune-System-to-Destroy-Tumor-Cells.html
““We are very excited about this novel discovery,” commented Dr. Patrick Gray, CEO of Pascal Biosciences.” Cannabinoids typically have good pharmacological properties, as most have low toxicity and are easily absorbed into the blood, which are great advantages for drug development. In combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors, cannabinoids may significantly improve cancer care. ”We wish to highlight specifically the line “Pascal is the first to identify a mechanism in which cannabinoids may provide a direct benefit in immunotherapy”.” http://nasdaqnewsreports.blogspot.com/2018/02/pascal-biosciences-cannabis.html
“Pascal Biosciences Stock Soars on New Cannabinoids Discovery” https://smallcappower.com/news/market-news/pascal-biosciences-inc-stock/
Evidence for cannabis and cannabinoids for epilepsy: a systematic review of controlled and observational evidence.
“Review evidence for cannabinoids as adjunctive treatments for treatment-resistant epilepsy.
Systematic search of Medline, Embase and PsycINFO was conducted in October 2017. Outcomes were: 50%+ seizure reduction, complete seizure freedom; improved quality of life (QoL).
Tolerability/safety were assessed by study withdrawals, adverse events (AEs) and serious adverse events (SAEs). Analyses were conducted in Stata V.15.0. 36 studies were identified: 6 randomised controlled trials (RCTs), 30 observational studies. Mean age of participants was 16.1 years (range 0.5-55 years).
Cannabidiol (CBD) 20 mg/kg/day was more effective than placebo at reducing seizure frequency by 50%+(relative risk (RR) 1.74, 95% CI 1.24 to 2.43, 2 RCTs, 291 patients, low Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) rating). The number needed to treat for one person using CBD to experience 50%+ seizure reduction was 8 (95% CI 6 to 17).
CBD was more effective than placebo at achieving complete seizure freedom (RR 6.17, 95% CI 1.50 to 25.32, 3 RCTs, 306 patients, low GRADE rating), and improving QoL (RR 1.73, 95% CI 1.33 to 2.26), however increased risk of AEs (RR 1.24, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.36) and SAEs (RR 2.55, 95% CI 1.48 to 4.38). Pooled across 17 observational studies, 48.5% (95% CI 39.0% to 58.1%) of patients reported 50%+ reductions in seizures; in 14 observational studies 8.5% (95% CI 3.8% to 14.5%) were seizure-free. Twelve observational studies reported improved QoL (55.8%, 95% CI 40.5 to 70.6); 50.6% (95% CI 31.7 to 69.4) AEs and 2.2% (95% CI 0 to 7.9) SAEs.
Pharmaceutical-grade CBD as adjuvant treatment in paediatric-onset drug-resistant epilepsy may reduce seizure frequency. Existing RCT evidence is mostly in paediatric samples with rare and severe epilepsy syndromes; RCTs examining other syndromes and cannabinoids are needed.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29511052
http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/early/2018/02/05/jnnp-2017-317168
“Cannabis Compounds Reduce Epileptic Seizure Frequency In Children And Teenagers” http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/cannabis-compounds-reduce-epileptic-seizure-frequency-in-children-and-teenagers/
“Cannabis ingredient ‘reduces epilepsy seizures'” https://www.webmd.boots.com/news/20180307/cannabis-ingredient-for-epilepsy-seizures
“Marijuana Derivative Successfully Treats Teen Epilepsy in New Experiments” https://www.inverse.com/article/41985-cbd-marijuana-treat-seizures-epilepsy
]]>Marijuana Use and Renal Function Among US Adults.
“In recent years, the number of states that have legalized medical marijuana or retail sales has increased, bringing potential changes of marijuana use pattern among the general population. However, health effects of acute and chronic marijuana use on many relevant health outcomes, including renal function, remain largely unexamined. In this study, we aimed to assess the association between recent and past marijuana use and renal function.
CONCLUSIONS:
We did not observe any clinically significant association between current or past self-reported marijuana use and measures of kidney function.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29291894 http://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(17)31193-2/fulltext“No link between current or previous marijuana use and kidney disease, say researchers” https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180301125051.htm
“Marijuana Doesn’t Seem to Harm the Kidneys” https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/news/20180306/marijuana-doesnt-seem-to-harm-the-kidneys
“”Our research provides some reassuring evidence suggesting that there is no detrimental effect of infrequent, relatively light use of marijuana on kidney function among healthy adults under age 60,”” https://consumer.healthday.com/general-health-information-16/illicit-drugs-news-217/marijuana-doesn-t-seem-to-harm-the-kidneys-731632.html“Pot Won’t Harm Healthy Young People’s Kidneys, Study Suggests” https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=206375
]]>Prospective analysis of safety and efficacy of medical cannabis in large unselected population of patients with cancer
“Cancer is a major public health problem as the leading cause of death. Palliative treatment aimed to alleviate pain and nausea in patients with advanced disease is a cornerstone of oncology.
In 2007, the Israeli Ministry of Health began providing approvals for medical cannabis for the palliation of cancer symptoms. The aim of this study is to characterize the epidemiology of cancer patients receiving medical cannabis treatment and describe the safety and efficacy of this therapy.
Methods
We analyzed the data routinely collected as part of the treatment program of 2970 cancer patients treated with medical cannabis between 2015 and 2017.
Results
The average age was 59.5 ± 16.3 years, 54.6% women and 26.7% of the patients reported previous experience with cannabis. The most frequent types of cancer were: breast (20.7%), lung (13.6%), pancreatic (8.1%) and colorectal (7.9%) with 51.2% being at stage 4. The main symptoms requiring therapy were: sleep problems (78.4%), pain (77.7%, median intensity 8/10), weakness (72.7%), nausea (64.6%) and lack of appetite (48.9%). After six months of follow up, 902 patients (24.9%) died and 682 (18.8%) stopped the treatment. Of the remaining, 1211 (60.6%) responded; 95.9% reported an improvement in their condition, 45 patients (3.7%) reported no change and four patients (0.3%) reported deterioration in their medical condition.
Conclusions
Cannabis as a palliative treatment for cancer patients seems to be well tolerated, effective and safe option to help patients cope with the malignancy related symptoms.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29482741
http://www.ejinme.com/article/S0953-6205(18)30023-2/pdf